Charlie Kirk’s widow recalls Usha Vance’s support in aftermath of his death: ‘Exactly what I needed to hear’
At Sunday’s memorial service for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, his widow, Erika Kirk, shared a moment of comfort she received from second lady Usha Vance in the immediate aftermath of his assassination, calling her a “precious woman.” Erika Kirk explained how she had confided in Vance about how she did not know how she could endure the loss of her husband and the father of their two children. Vance offered an analogy about the final 15 minutes of a turbulent airplane ride, when all a parent can think about is getting through to the landing. TRUMP TO HONOR CHARLIE KIRK AT ARIZONA MEMORIAL, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG CONSERVATIVES EXPECTED TO ATTEND The second lady “told me, you will get through these 15 minutes and the next 15 minutes after that,” Erika Kirk described. “Usha, I don’t think you realized it then, but those words were exactly what I needed to hear.” Vice President JD Vance also addressed the packed crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, earlier in the evening, delivering a stirring tribute to his close friend. “They tried to silence our dear friend Charlie Kirk,” JD Vance said. “And tonight, we speak with Charlie and for Charlie, louder than ever.” JD VANCE BLAMES KIRK ASSASSINATION ON ‘LEFT-WING POLITICAL RADICALIZATION’ OF SHOOTER The vice president praised Charlie Kirk’s unwavering defense of the family and traditional values as the foundation of a thriving society. “Charlie brought the truth that young people deserve to stake (in) the future, and that they deserve to have a voice,” JD Vance said. But JD Vance stressed that Charlie Kirk’s true legacy was not just in what he said publicly, but in the life he lived daily. VANCE SAYS HE OWES ‘SO MUCH’ TO CHARLIE KIRK WHILE GUEST-HOSTING SHOW, PRAISES ‘VISIONARY’ CONSERVATIVE LEADER “Charlie, he did so much more than tell the truth. He lived it,” JD Vance remarked, adding that the conservative activist’s passion for history and ideas gave him a vision for America’s future. “In this he showed all of us how to carry on after his death,” the vice president concluded. Charlie Kirk was a close confidant of JD Vance’s, both personally and politically. The Turning Point USA founder was considered by JD Vance to have been pivotal in President Donald Trump’s decision to choose him as a running mate in the 2024 election. Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, JD Vance and Usha Vance accompanied Erika Kirk aboard Air Force Two to return his casket to Arizona. In Salt Lake City, the vice president walked alongside the flag-draped casket of his friend as it was carried across the tarmac. JD Vance also filled in for his “dear friend” on “The Charlie Kirk Show” where he similarly expressed his thoughts about his assassination.
Trump honors Charlie Kirk’s legacy and describes him as a ‘martyr for American freedom’
President Donald Trump praised Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s legacy Sunday, calling him a “martyr for American freedom.” “I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk, and neither will history,” Trump said to the tens of thousands of supporters gathered to celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK Trump spoke of Kirk’s passion for mobilizing young conservatives, his unwavering devotion to the country and the movement he leaves behind. The president described Kirk as a “missionary with a noble spirit,” saying the 31-year-old conservative activist played a decisive role in helping him win the 2024 election. “He didn’t deserve this and our country didn’t deserve this,” Trump said, adding that Kirk’s assassination was an attack on American democracy. Trump has survived two assassination attempts. The president also said he would honor Kirk at the White House by presenting his family with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK Trump’s speech, which also highlighted his administration’s core priorities, followed those of Kirk’s widow, Erika, and several high-ranking members of his administration. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were among some of Trump’s Cabinet that spoke at the memorial service. At the end of his speech, Trump shared the stage with Erika Kirk and hugged her as “God Bless America” played across the stadium, marking the conclusion of the memorial service. ERIKA KIRK FORGIVES HUSBAND’S KILLER AT MEMORIAL SERVICE: ‘IT’S WHAT CHARLIE WOULD DO’ Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The gathering was the first stop on TPUSA’s planned American Comeback Tour. The charismatic Kirk, known for his signature debates on college campuses, sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” taking open-mic questions from a crowd of thousands. Moments later, a single shot ended his life. In the wake of his death, many Americans have been learning for the first time of the unlikely rise of the young activist who vaulted from obscurity in suburban Illinois to become a defining voice for a generation of conservatives and one of the movement’s most formidable power brokers. ‘THIS IS THE TURNING POINT:’ TPUSA SAYS CAMPUS CHAPTER REQUESTS SURGE AFTER KIRK’S ASSASSINATION At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found TPUSA. By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to Trump. His widow, Erika, has vowed to carry on the energetic movement that indisputably reshaped conservative youth politics. TPUSA recently announced she would assume the roles of CEO and chair of the board. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” said TPUSA has received more than 62,000 requests to establish new campus chapters in the two weeks since Kirk’s assassination — a surge that would add to its existing network of 900 nationwide. “For all the fans of ‘The Charlie Kirk Show,’ we will see you Monday,” Kolvet said during his remarks at the memorial service. “Until then, buckle up — here we go,” he added, vowing to continue Kirk’s mission. Last week, Kolvet told Fox News Digital that he has “personally received hundreds of offers to work” for TPUSA.
Erika Kirk forgives husband’s killer at memorial service: ‘It’s what Charlie would do’
Erika Kirk, the widow of slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, remembered her husband’s legacy at a memorial for him Sunday — and revealed her thoughts about his alleged assassin. Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect charged in Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 death, was much like the other young men that Charlie Kirk encountered, Erika Kirk said. Charlie Kirk “wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said. “Our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.’ That young man … I forgive him,” Erika Kirk said. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.” MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ASSASSINATED TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK DRAWS TRUMP, MAJOR GOP FIGURES Speaking to a crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Erika Kirk thanked the audience for honoring her husband. She began her speech by quoting one of Charlie Kirk’s favorite Bible verses, Isaiah 6:8: “Here I am, Lord. Send me,” and recalled a time that Charlie Kirk repeated it at the end of a conference. “After Charlie finished, I met him backstage and I spoke to him … I said, Charlie, baby, please talk to me next time before you say that statement,” she said. ERIKA KIRK, AHEAD OF MEMORIAL SERVICE, INSPIRES CHRISTIAN STAFFER TO REMAIN ‘ROOTED IN FAITH’ “Because when you say something like that, there is so much power in that verse … God will take you up on that, and He did.” Charlie Kirk was quickly rushed to a hospital after being shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10. At his Sunday memorial, Erika Kirk described the moment when she arrived to “do the unthinkable” and see her husband’s corpse. “I look(ed) directly at my husband’s murdered body,” she said. “I saw the wound that ended his life. I felt everything you would expect to feel. I felt shock. I felt horror and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed.” “But there was something else too. Even in death, I could see the man that I love. I saw the one single gray hair on the side of his head, which I never told him about,” she laughed. “Now he knows. Sorry, baby, telling you now.” Erika Kirk added that she sensed “great mercy from God” in her husband’s death when she viewed his body and saw a faint smile. “I also saw on his lips the faintest smile … it told me Charlie didn’t suffer. Even the doctor told me it was something so instant that even if Charlie had been shot in the operating room … nothing could have been done. There was no pain.” Erika Kirk also opened up about their marriage, revealing the private ritual that kept it strong even amid her husband’s constant travel. “Someone once asked me how Charlie and I thought we kept our marriage so strong when he was busy traveling,” she said. “Our little secret: It was love notes. Every Saturday, Charlie wrote one for me, and he never missed a Saturday.” WHO IS ERIKA KIRK?: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LATE CHARLIE KIRK’S WIDOW FROM THEIR LOVE STORY TO HIS LEGACY “And in every single one of them, he’d tell me what his highlight was for the week, how grateful he was for me and our babies,” she added. “And always at the end, he would always end it with asking the most beautiful question, ‘Please let me know how I can better serve you as a husband.’” Above all, Erika Kirk emphasized her husband’s faith and how he practiced his Christian faith, revealing that he enjoyed journaling to remember important moments in his life. “And one of the things he wrote in his journal was this, ‘Every time you make a decision, it puts a mark on your soul,’” she said. “To those of you out there who just made that decision, and took the first step toward a spiritual life, I say thank you and welcome.” LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK She also emphasized how Charlie Kirk did “100% of what he could every day,” and that he left Earth “without regrets.” “There was nothing that was too hard or too painful or nothing that he just felt like he didn’t want to do,” she said. “Charlie died with incomplete work, but not with unfinished business,” she said. “And I will miss him. I will miss him so much. Because our marriage and our family were beautiful.” Toward the end of her speech, the widow concluded by saying she was honored to be the new Turning Point USA CEO and that her husband’s mission “is my mission.” “Everything that Turning Point USA built through Charlie’s vision and hard work, we will make ten times greater through the power of his memory,” Erika Kirk said. “No assassin will ever stop us from standing up to defend those rights.”
India gets powerful 200 MWe nuclear reactor, to boost its next gen submarine with new capabilities; check details
India’s Navy will soon be upgraded with a powerful nuclear reactor, developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), to generate 200 MW of electricity. The Centre has developed the reactor to be equipped in S5 Nuclear Class Submarine and Nuclear Attack Submarine (Project 77), which would double the capabilities of the submarines.
‘Need to chart own path’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat advises to not ‘proceed blindly’ after US tightens tariffs, immigration rules
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat shared his views on US decisions on tariffs and immigration. He said that India must do whatever it takes to overcome the situation that poses challenge, but it should do that by taking its own path while going with the ‘sanatan’ view of development.
Rep. Luna credits Charlie Kirk with launching her entire political career at memorial event
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., took the stage at Charlie Kirk’s memorial event Sunday to remember the Turning Point USA founder and applaud his “unshakable resolve to awaken America’s youth.” Speaking at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Luna began by saying that “there would be no Congresswoman Luna without Charlie Kirk.” The Florida representative detailed her experience working with Kirk at Turning Point USA as an outreach director. “I still remember the phone call that changed my life,” Luna remembered. “‘Hey, Anna, it’s Charlie. I’d like to offer you a job as Texas National Hispanic Outreach director.’” LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK ERIKA KIRK, AHEAD OF MEMORIAL SERVICE, INSPIRES CHRISTIAN STAFFER TO REMAIN ‘ROOTED IN FAITH’ “Charlie believed with every fiber of his being, that the youth of this nation would save it,” she continued. “These were the sparks that lit the path for me on the eve of my departure to medical school, to decide to change course and join TPUSA, where I could help Charlie battle the socialist indoctrination on college campuses.” Luna added that she witnessed Kirk “grow from a young man with conferences of a few hundred people, to one of the most powerful men in the world.” The Republican compared Kirk’s leadership to George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, saying that his name “will stand etched in history.” MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ASSASSINATED TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK DRAWS TRUMP, MAJOR GOP FIGURES “Looking at thousands of young people in this crowd, I realize that Charlie’s vision is ablaze in every single one of you,” Luna concluded. “The generation that he entrusted to restore the soul of this nation. So I ask you, will you live boldly as Charlie did? Will you rise to the challenge as Charlie did? Will you speak truth without fear, as Charlie did? And will you pray with unwavering faith, as Charlie did?” Luna is one of many Republican lawmakers who was close with Kirk and has praised his legacy since his Sept. 10 assassination. In the days after his death, Luna called on social media platforms to remove the videos of his violent killing. “He has a family, young children, and no one should be forced to relive this tragedy online,” she said.
FBI Director Kash Patel says agency investigating ‘theories and questions’ surrounding Charlie Kirk’s murder
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Sunday that his agency is investigating “theories and questions” related to the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk. In a social media post on X, Patel affirmed that he is “committed to ensuring the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination is thorough and exhaustive.” “We are examining every facet of this assassination,” the official said, before addressing some of the theories that have circulated in recent days. “We are meticulously investigating theories and questions, including the location from where the shot was taken, the possibility of accomplices, the text message confession and related conversations, Discord chats, the angle of the shot and bullet impact, how the weapon was transported, hand gestures observed as potential ‘signals’ near Charlie at the time of his assassination, and visitors to the alleged shooter’s residence in the hours and days leading up to September 10, 2025.” KASH PATEL FACES HOUSE GRILLING AFTER TENSE SENATE CLASHES OVER KIRK ASSASSINATION Patel added that while some details are “known today,” law enforcement agencies are still pursuing others “to ensure every possibility is considered.” “Our primary focus is to complete this investigation and deliver justice,” Patel added. “To protect the integrity of the investigation and subsequent prosecution, we cannot release every piece of information we have to the public right now.” He also addressed questions swirling about a plane that allegedly turned off its transponder after departing near Orem, Utah, where Kirk was shot. “We can share updates (about the plane) when answers are confirmed,” Patel said. “After interviews with the pilot and consultation with the FAA, we determined the transponder was not turned off. Incomplete flight data in rural areas caused the apparent gap.” FBI INVESTIGATING ‘A LOT MORE’ THAN 20 PEOPLE IN DISCORD CHATS WITH SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN“ “The entire FBI mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk,” he concluded. “We will not rest until justice is served, and our investigation into this assassination will continue until every question is answered.” Patel’s tweet came the same day as the Charlie Kirk memorial event at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Vice President JD Vance, one of the event’s speakers, wrote on X that he was returning to the Grand Canyon State to “remember Charlie and honor his sacrifice.” “Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time,” Vance said. “May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children.”
Israeli attack kills at least 25 from the same family in Gaza City homes
Palestinian family members at the scene say they fear as many as 50 people are trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military has killed at least 25 members of the same family in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City as it ramps up strikes across the besieged enclave. A group of homes were bombed in the early hours of Sunday by Israeli warplanes in the Sabra neighbourhood, where Israeli tanks began advancing in late August as part of a plan to destroy and seize the area. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list At least 17 people have been rescued in the aftermath of the strike, and rescue work was ongoing as people and emergency responders dug with their hands and family members at the scene said they feared as many as 50 people were trapped under the rubble. The Palestinian family made an urgent appeal for help to try to free others still trapped. Family members at the scene said they could still hear voices from the rubble. “I appeal to the whole world: Please lend us a helping hand,” one family member said. “Our relatives are buried alive. We keep hearing their screams from under the rubble, but we cannot reach them.” He said Israeli drones were firing on rescuers working in the rubble. “Every time we try to reach them, the Israeli drones open fire on us. For every five men making an attempt, four are killed, and only one survives.” Footage circulating online showed casualties being rushed away in a small vehicle surrounded by people. The video below shows a mother crying out that she lost “all of my children” in the Israeli attack in the Sabra neighbourhood, located south of Gaza City. Advertisement Seven Palestinians, including four children, were killed in another Israeli air raid in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, an emergency source told Al Jazeera. The attack reportedly hit near a clinic operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Saturday afternoon that at least 65,283 people have been killed and 166,575 others wounded by the Israeli army since the start of the war in October 2023. It said at least four more deaths due to Israeli-induced starvation and famine were recorded over the past day, bringing the total death toll to 440 people, including 147 children. More buildings were blown up by the Israeli military on Sunday as it tries to forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and seize Gaza City despite international criticism and opposition from the families of captives held in the enclave. Mourners react as a relative embraces body bags, during the funeral for members of the Abu Amsha family, who were killed in an Israeli strike on a house on Saturday, according to medics, at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, September 21, 2025 [Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters] Many Palestinians are refusing to step outside where they are sheltering since nowhere is safe due to drone strikes and remotely controlled explosive robots planted inside displacement camps and roads, said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. “As of now, people’s movement has been very limited by the use of these explosives. The air is still thick with smoke,” he said. The Israeli military estimates that more than 450,000 people have been forcibly displaced from Gaza City since the start of September. Hamas puts the number at under 300,000 people, saying about 900,000 remain. The Israeli military said on Sunday that three divisions are leading a ground invasion in Gaza City and northern Gaza, with another division operating in Khan Younis in the south. It claimed that its soldiers killed “many terrorists who were on their way to carry out terror plots” over the past 24 hours. Pope Leo spoke out against the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza on Sunday, saying, “Together with the pastors of the churches in the Holy Land, I repeat that there is no future based on violence, forced exile, and revenge.” Adblock test (Why?)
Charlie Kirk mourned as Jimmy Kimmel supporters fear erosion of free speech
NewsFeed As thousands gather for Charlie Kirk’s memorial, debate rages over a clampdown on free speech in the US. Late-night TV hosts have spoken out in support of Jimmy Kimmel following his cancellation, while President Donald Trump reiterated his view that critical coverage of him is illegal. Published On 21 Sep 202521 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Trump to join thousands at memorial for right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk
US President Donald Trump to address Arizona service for assassinated ally. Published On 21 Sep 202521 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a memorial service in Arizona for Charlie Kirk, the right-wing United States activist and founder of Turning Point USA who was shot dead this month. The event will take place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which seats more than 63,000 people. Organisers said additional space has been arranged nearby to accommodate overflow crowds. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several other Republicans will address the gathering, which Turning Point USA has called Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk. Kirk’s widow, Erika, who recently became the organisation’s chief executive, is also expected to speak. The Department of Homeland Security has classified the service as an event of “the highest national significance”, a designation usually reserved for occasions such as the Super Bowl. Officials said tight security measures are in place due to Trump’s attendance and the political tension surrounding Kirk’s killing. Kirk, 31, was killed on September 10 during a university event in Utah. Police charged a 22-year-old suspect with murder, saying he carried out the attack alone and killed Kirk because he had “enough of his hate”. Kirk was a polarising figure who called for the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and whips against immigrants at the US-Mexico border; suggested Islam is a danger to American society; and claimed there was “no factual data to back up global warming”. The US right-wing viewed Kirk as a major figure in the Trump movement who played a pivotal role in building support for the US president and conservative causes among young people. Advertisement Trump has been accused of exploiting Kirk’s murder for political gain by linking the killing to what he calls “left-wing extremism” despite law enforcement dismissing claims of a wider alleged assassination plot. His remarks have drawn criticism from opponents who accused him of inflaming political divisions. Kirk established Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18. The organisation has grown into one of the largest right-wing groups in the US with influence across high schools, universities and social media platforms. Adblock test (Why?)